August 1: Mountain Man

Gruff-voiced musician Ray LaMontagne brings folk back

By Hannah Smothers

Published: July 28, 2014

Folk is seeing a major resurgence. With bands like Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers making statements on the charts, it’s almost as ubiquitous as it was in the 1960s. One person to thank for the rebirth of the genre is Ray LaMontagne, who debuted his acoustic jams a decade ago with his gold-certified album Trouble. If his signature raspy voice and burly beard aren’t enough folk cred, LaMontagne also has blue-collar roots: After graduating from high school, he worked in a shoe factory in Maine. The rootsy earnestness of his fourth album, God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, earned him the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2010. In April, LaMontagne took a decidedly electric turn with his music when he released his latest album, Supernova, which was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Although his new stuff might be a bit more amped up, he hasn’t abandoned his naturally withdrawn nature—he still shies away from the spotlight and spends most of his time in his home in the Berkshires. Just like his folk predecessors, he’s happy to let the music speak for him.